Machine for affixing postage-stamps



(No Model.)

J. L. SHAW.

MACHINE POR AFFIXING POSTAGE STAMPS.

No. 337,450. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

. INVBNTOR BY Cw//J/ 34A ATTURNBY N. PETERS. PhulufLhhugnpher.Walldnglon. D.C.

. Fhnlllla WIY NITE STATES Partnr innen.

JOHN L. SHAW, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

.MACHINE FOR AFFIXING POSTAGE-STAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.33'7 ,450, dated March9, 1886.

Application filed May 27, 1884. Serial No. 132,968. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. SHAW, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State ofMichigan, have invented a new and useful Machine for AffiXing Postageand other Stamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto the use of a waterreservoir with a handstamp forattaching stamps to paper or other material; and its objects are, first,to moisten the stamp or paper by a spray from the water-chamber; second,to press the stamp upon the paper by the same movement of the hand thatthrows the spray; third, to support the stamps in a chamber so that butone stamp can escape at a time and only when the paper is in position toreceive the stamp; and, fourth, to combine the whole in a small compactmachine suitable for desk and oftlce use. I attain these objects by themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lisa side elevation of my stampafxing machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is also a front elevation ofthesame with thehand-pieces primed down,

showing the position of the machine at the instant the stamp is aflixedto the paper. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the air-cylin- .derG and parts attached thereto.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The general form of my device does not differ from ordinary hand -stampsIt has a base of metal or any suitable material, which I have shown ascircular in the drawings. It has a support, L,which supports the stampproper. A is a hand-plate attached to the upper end of the piston-rod Cand rod D. rlhe rod C passes through the plate B into the air-chamber G,and is attached to the piston 15 in the air-chamber, which air-chambereX- tends downward, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and has anopening into tube 5. At the top of the air-chamber is a small air-vent,a.

Beneath the piston at the bottom of airchamber G is a spring, 14, (shownin Fig. 4,) which brings A and C to the position shown in Fig. 1 as soonas the pressure on A shall have been removed.

6 is an elastic air-tube connected to short tube 5, and it has anaperture, 8.

N is a reservoir for water, which reservoir fits into the shell K, thetwo combined forming a reservoir similar to the oil-reservoir in auordinary student-lamp, the construction of which is well known. Myobject in adopting this construction is to keep the water in K at thesame level at all times, it being supplied from the part N as it is usedout in operating the machine.

X is a tube opening into the reservoir K, and provided with an aperture,9.

At the bottom of cylinder G, and attached thereto by means of themetallic band P, is the follower J.

His a head-block, rigidly attached to the support L, and it has anopening through it which allows the cylinder G to move freely up anddown. through such block.

E is a coiled spring, to bring B into place when the pressure has beenremoved.

Attached to the band P are two springcatches, l and 3, which are held inlocking position on pin 1 by springs 2 and 4.

F is a wedge-shaped lug o'n the rod'D. By pressing down on hand-plate Athe rod D passes between catches 1 and 8, and when A is brought inContact with B the wedge-lug F separates the catches 1 and 3, so as todisconnect the catches from the pin 1, as shown in Fig. 3. The followerJ being disconnected from the head-block H, the pressure upon A nowpresses the cylinder G downward until the follower J comes in contactwith the pad 1() on block 11.

M is the stamp-holder,which is made,.pref erably, of thin metal, and tsonto the follower J by spring-catch, or otherwise, but so as to allowthe follower to slide therein. This connection is shown in the drawingsas a spring, j', which at the lower end is connected to the stamp-holderby rivet y, and to the follower by a screw, if, in the band P on thefollower. On the lower back side of this holder is a drip or watertable, 7, designed to prevent the water from dripping onto the cushion10.

On the block 11 are two guides, 12 and 13, for keeping the letter orpaper in proper position to receive the stamp.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

IOO

Place the letter on the cushion 10 and press downward on plate A. Thepiston passing downward within the cylinder G drives the air into thetube 6 and out of the opening 8. This causes a suction through the tubeX, and the water escaping through aperture is atomized, and will cover aspace on the letter of the size of a single stamp. Vhen the plate A hasreached the plate B, the lug F has disconnected the follower J from thehead-block H, and the plate B descends with the combination of the samestroke, driving before it cylinder G and follower J, bringing the lowerstamp on the holder M upon the moistened surface of the letter, to whichit adheres, and the pressure being removed the machine immediately assumes the position shown in Fig. l.

Instead of throwing the spray downward upon the envelope, it may beturned upward, so as to meisten the lower or adhesive face of the stamp;but I deem the method first above described preferable.

Having thus described my invcntion,what I claim to have invented, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A stainp-afiixing apparatus provided with an air-reservoir andpiston, in combination with a waterreservoir and spraying device, andsuitable connecting air and water tubes, Substantially as described.

2. A stamp-atlixing device provided with a water-reservoir and sprayingdevice, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a stamp-alxing apparatus, a pressureplate, a piston to which saidplate is attached, a spring for returning the piston to its normalposition, and an air-cylinder within which the piston operates, the saidcylinder provided with an air-vent and air-tube for the ingress andegress of air, in combination with a waterreservoir provided with a tubeextending therefrom, having an opening near that of the air-tubc,whercbyspray is emitted when pressure is exerted on said presser-plate,substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a stamp-a'ixing apparatus, a presserplate, a piston to which saidplat-e is attached, avertically#reciprocating cylinder, al spring withinsaid cylinder beneath the piston, a follower attached to said cylinder,and a stampholder attached to said follower, and a watervessel,substantially as and for the purpose dcscribed.

5. A stamp-aixing apparatus comprising, in combination, thepressure-plates, the piston, the air-cylinder, the springs, thefollower, the stamp-holder, the baseblock and cushion, thewater-reservoir N K and their conncct ing air and water tubes, and aspraying de vice, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOHN L. SHAV.

itncsses:

ARTHUR C. DnNIsoN, FRED W. S'rnvnNs.

